The Special Interest Group—Collaboration Group (SIG-CG) is a governance body comprised of representative leaders from the Society of Toxicology (SOT) SIG Executive Committees. With approval from SOT Council, the SIG-CG planned and executed a special "Hot Topics" event to provide 2014 SOT Annual Meeting attendees with the opportunity to hear from a panel of expert speakers discussing issues of toxicological concern to the global community (see summary below). After the panel discussion, session attendees engaged in an question and answer session with the panelists.The 2014 event was organized by SIG-CG Co-Chair, Kristina D. Chadwick (Women in Toxicology [WIT] SIG), along with past and present members of the SIG-CG, Brinda Mahadevan (Association of Scientists of Indian Origin [ASIO] and WIT SIGs), Betina Lew (Hispanic Organization of Toxicologists [HOT] and WIT SIGs), and Irene Abraham (Toxicologists of African Origin [TAO] and WIT SIGs). Plans are underway for a 2015 SOT Annual Meeting "Hot Topics" event, which is entitled "Global Drug Development and Natural Products: End of an Era or an Endless Frontier." There will be two outstanding speakers who have published extensively about natural products, their contributions to human health, and their potential safety issues.
First Annual SIG-CG Event: Global Hot Topics: Air Pollution Around the World: Global Concerns
It was a typical SOT Annual Meeting Monday, with stimulating scientific discussions and enthusiastic poster presentations that were packed with a heavy dose of toxicology and regulatory affairs. The SOT Special Interest Group Collaboration Group (SIG-CG) held a "Hot Topic" event: "Air Pollution Around the World: Global Concerns." It consisted of an international panel of three speakers who presented on the toxicological impacts of air pollution originating from sources common to their regions. This event included a good dose of science, public health, politics, and socioeconomic factors impacting air pollution.
Jan Topinka from the Institute of Experimental Medicine Czech Republic, Prague, discussed his work on Gene Expression Profiles in Asthmatic Children Living in Localities with Different Extents of the Air Pollution. His research revealed changes in the gene expression profiles of children who were exposed to air pollution. The concern was that exposure to air pollution may result in detrimental diseases including cancer in young children.
Paulo Saldiva from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, discussed Sugar Cane Burning and Adverse Health Effects in the Exposed Population. His research showed the adverse impact of sugar cane burning emissions on the health of the population in the city of Piracicaba in southeast Brazil and linked the elements generated from sugar cane burning to respiratory illness in both children and the elderly.
Evans Afriyie-Gyawu from Georgia Southern University discussed Toxicological Implications of Smoke from Burning Scrap Automobile Tires for Singeing Meat in Africa (Ghana). Many slaughter houses in some developing countries (such as Ghana and Nigeria) are known to use open fires, set with scraps of automobile tires, to singe the fur of slaughtered goats, sheep, cows, etc. intended for human consumption. Human exposures to chemicals through ingestion and/or inhalation are detrimental and carcinogenic in many cases.
Interestingly, although the three speakers presented on different regions and sources of air pollution, their issues shared the common theme of political pressures that prevent the practice of good science. One of the speakers pointed out a frightening reality that due to economic pressures the population in his region is forced to choose between air pollution and job security. This session engaged the audience and led to an interesting discussion as scientists from diverse backgrounds offered solutions on how to combat these global public health issues.